Unit 1 Lesson 2

Clauses, Phrases, and Types of Sentences

Types of clauses:

​CLAUSES

​Remember:

Clause - A clause is a group of words that works together in a sentence but does contain both a subject and a verb. There are two main types of clauses: dependent and independent.

• Contains a subject and a verb

• Cannot stand alone as a sentence

• Starts with a subordinate conjunction
  

​Dependent

​Example:
Because he was hungry
Since I studied
Before she went home

​Types of Clauses Cont'd

• Contains a subject and a verb

• Can stand alone as a sentence

• Can be combined with either another independent clause and/or a dependent clause to create other sentence structures by using conjunctions.

​Independent:

​Example:
He ate a whole pizza.
I passed my test.
She stopped at the store.

Poll

Gabby enjoys watching movies.

• Independent

• Dependent

Poll

Until the bell rings.

• Independent

• Dependent

Comma Placement

• Independent Dependent

  • If the independent clause is followed by a dependent clause, you do not place a comma.

• I will help you because you asked nicely.

• I am going to the store once I finish my work.

• Samir told me he would call me when he got home.

Comma Placement

• Dependent, Independent

  • If the dependent clause is followed by an independent clause, a comma is placed at the end of the dependent clause.

• Because I was absent, I need to make up my classwork.

Multiple Choice

Where should the comma be placed in the following sentence? Because softball is such a fun sport many people joined the team.

• Because, softball is such a fun sport many people joined the team.

• Because softball is such a fun sport, many people joined the team.

• No comma needed because the dependent clause comes first. 

Multiple Choice

Where should the comma be placed in the following sentence: The pep rally is going to be fun because the whole school will come together.

• The pep rally, is going to be fun because the whole school will come together.

• The pep rally is going to be fun because, the whole school will come together.

• No comma needed because the dependent clause comes last. 

Misplaced/Dangling Modifiers

What is a Modifier?

A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that adds description to a sentence.

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Typically, you will find a modifier snuggled right next to—either in front of or behind—the word it logically describes.

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Sometimes, a writer places a modifier too far away from the word it should describe.

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If an action is happening, ask yourself "what/who would perform this action?"

If the who/what comes after the action can't perform that action, it is misplaced.

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Misplaced Modifiers

Examples of Misplaced Modifiers

​MISPLACED: Aidan wore his one collared shirt to the job interview,

which was stained with yellow mustard.

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CORRECT: Aidan wore his one collared shirt, which was stained with yellow mustard, to the job interview.

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MISPLACED: The host served sandwiches to the guests on paper plates.

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CORRECT: The host served the guests sandwiches on paper plates.

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Multiple Choice

Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier?

• The cowboy in the leather vest was thrown by the bull.

• The train station, which was made of red brick, was located downtown.

• She was making a sweater for her grandma that was warm.

This happens when the word a modifier is describing is completely missing from the sentence.

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There is nothing/no one in the sentence to perform the action

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Dangling Modifiers

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Examples of Dangling Modifiers

​DANGLING: Fumbling in her purse, the keys could not be found.

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CORRECT: ​ Fumbling in her purse, she could not find her keys.

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DANGLING: While driving to work​, a car accident was witnessed on the highway.

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CORRECT: While driving to work, Nicholas witnessed a car accident on the highway. ​

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Multiple Choice

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

• Because he injured his hand, John had difficulty typing the essay.

• To become a good dentist, you must clean, fill, and file many teeth.

• Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on.

Practice Time

Multiple Choice

Though not a fan of scary movies, A Quiet Place is actually quite good.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Regretting his remark, Kyle blushed uncontrollably.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

The impatient customer demanded the waiter, a new employee, immediately get the manager.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Lying on the beach, thoughts of skin cancer entered my mind as I tried to relax.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Verbs and Verb Phrases

You already know that the verb is one of the parts of a sentence base. It helps to make a statement about the subject.

*Some verbs do this by expressing the action of the subject.

Example: The girl ran.

*Other verbs help to make a statement without expressing action.

Example: They are good.

Verbs

The action expressed by a verb may be physical action or mental action.

Physical - jump, shout, carry

Mental - worry, think, believe, imagine

Action (Main) Verbs

Helping Verbs

One word verbs are often called the MAIN VERBS. Without MAIN VERBS there could be no sentences. Sometimes the MAIN VERB is accompanied by other verbs called HELPING VERBS. Helping verbs show the tense

Common Helping Verbs:
am, is, are, was, were, has, have, had,shall, should, must, will, would, do, can, could, did, may, might, does

HELPING VERB + MAIN VERB = VERB PHRASE

Each of the main verbs is made into a verb phrase through the use of helping verbs.

• For example:

  • Main verb: crawl

    • Verb phrase: will crawl

  • Main verb: listen

    • Verb phrase: have been listening

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence.

My favorite hobby is telling children Santa isn't real.

Which part of the sentence is a verb phrase?

• My favorite hobby

• is telling children Santa isn't real

Multiple Choice

What is the verb phrase in the following sentence?

The mummy is coming for us!

• The mummy

• is

• coming

• is coming

Multiple Choice

What is the verb phrase in the following sentence?

Officer Lee has been working with her partner for a long time.

• has been

• Officer Lee

• has been working

• with her partner

Prepositional Phrases

​50 of the most common prepositions (there are over 150 prepositions!)

Prepositional Phrases

• A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with a noun.

• A prepositional phrase shows a relationship between a word in the sentence and the object of the preposition.

• Examples:

• The cat in the tree was meowing loudly.

• The car around the corner is honking.

How do you know it's a prepositional phrase?

• The word at the end of the phrase (called the object of the preposition) must be a noun.

• Ask yourself "the what?" after the preposition and if you can answer the question with a noun, then you have found a prepositional phrase.

• Examples:

• The cat in the tree was meowing loudly. The cat in the WHAT?

• The car around the corner is honking. The car around the WHAT?

Multiple Choice

Which word in the sentence below is a preposition?

Ms. Lujan dreamed about a penguin baking cupcakes.

• about

• Ms. Lujan

• dreamed

• possum

Multiple Choice

What is the prepositional phrase in this sentence?

Elephants travel long distances for food.

• long distances

• for food

• elephants travel

• travel long distances

Multiple Choice

What is the prepositional phrase in this sentence?

Will you sit beside me?

• beside me

• you sit

• will you

• sit beside

Multiple Choice

What is the prepositional phrase in this sentence?

People say St. Patrick drove all the snakes away from Ireland.

• people say St. Patrick

• away from Ireland

• all the snakes

• drove all the snakes

Appositive Phrases

• "renames" a noun right beside it

• can be short or long combination of words

• can begin, interrupt, or end a sentence

• an appositive phrase is ALWAYS separated from the rest of the sentence by commas

Appositive Phrases

Grandma's dog, a husky mix, sleeps at the foot of her bed.

My study cards, the color-coded pile, are incredibly detailed.

That poem, a free verse, made me cry.

EXAMPLES

​​If the appositive phrase is in the middle of the sentence, it will have 2 commas.

One at the beginning of the phrase and one at the end.

Multiple Choice

What is the appositive phrase in the following sentence?

Buddy, my dog, loves his dog treats.

• my dog
• Buddy

• loves his

• dog treats

Multiple Choice

Type the appositive phrase in the following sentence:

My computer, a laptop, needs a new cover.

• a laptop
• My computer

• needs a

• new cover

Multiple Choice

Which sentence below is correctly punctuated?

• My sister, the tall one is about to enter high school.

• My sister the tall one is about to enter high school.

• My sister the tall one, is about to enter high school.

• My sister, the tall one, is about to enter high school.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

• We decided to eat at Olive Garden my favorite restaurant.

• We decided to eat at Olive Garden, my favorite restaurant.

• We decided to eat at, Olive Garden, my favorite restaurant.

• We decided, to eat, at Olive Garden my favorite restaurant.

Different Types
of Sentences

Review: Complete Sentences

Multiple Choice

What is the subject in this sentence?

My parents cooked a delicious meal.

• Cooked

• Meal

• My parents

• Delicious Meal

Multiple Choice

What is the predicate in this sentence?

I waited for the train.

• waited

• I

• the train

• for

1. My dog likes to bark at cats.

2. Henry fell off the slide.

3. Cancun is a beautiful place to visit.

Examples

A simple sentence (independent clause) has:
A noun (person place, thing, idea).
A verb (an action word)

A predicate (complete thought)

Simple Sentence

Simple Sentences (independent clause)

Compound Sentences (FANBOYS)

1. My cousin was supposed to visit, but he got sick.

2. Alonso had good grades all semester, so his mom bought him ice cream.

3. Jessica won her cheer competition, and she won the academic decathlon.

Examples

Two independent clauses (simple sentences) connected by a comma and a FANBOYS:
For
and
nor
but
or
yet
so

An independent clause and one or more dependent clauses connected by a subordinating conjunction.

If we see one, we KNOW that the sentence HAS TO BE complex.

Complex Sentences

1. Since I fell asleep in class, my teacher called my mom.

2. My dad was really proud of me because I passed all my classes.

Examples

There are two ways to write a complex sentence:

1. If the subordinating conjunction is at the beginning of the sentence, you need a comma.

2. If the subordinating conjunction is in the middle, you don't need a comma.

Complex Sentence

Complex Sentences cont.

Compound-Complex sentences

​has 2 or more independent clauses and 1 or more dependent clauses

I really wanted to do well on the quiz because I wanted an A in the class, and I got a B last quarter.

David wanted a camera, and he was determined to buy one when he had the money.

What did I just learn???

simple sentence:
1 independent clause

compound sentence:
2 independent clauses joined by comma and FANBOYS or
a semi-colon

complex sentence:
1 independent clause and at least 1 dependent clause

compound-complex sentence:
at least 2 independent clauses and at least 1 dependent clause